Roller track for guiding strips having parallel edges

ABSTRACT

A roller track for guiding flexible strips through a change in spatial direction has a series of idler rollers perpendicularly connected to an elongated deformable guide member. The guide member has a continuous deformation which causes the rollers attached to it to assume a staggered position relative to each other. A low pressure is maintained by suction under the rollers to retain the strip in close contact with them throughout the spatial transition. An elongated spring provides an elastic type of elongated guide member.

States Paten Inventors IPeter Herzhofl Leverltusen; lllans Gref, Cologne-Stammheim; Wolfgang Schweicher, Leverkusen; Karl Voss, Leverkusen-Alkenrath, all of Germany Appl. No. 857,131

Filed Sept. 1 l, 1969 Patented Sept. 28, 19711 Assignee Agfa-GevaertAktiengesellschaft Leverkusen, Germany ROLLER TRACK FOR GUlDlNG STlRllPS HAVING PARALLEL EDGIES 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

ILLS. Cl 226/95, 226/189, 226/199 Int. Cl B6511 17/28 Field 011 Search 226/ 198,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,204,828 6/1940 Sherrill 193/35 S 3,212,775 10/1965 Taylor, Jr. 271/74 Primary ExaminerAl1en N. Knowles A!t0rneyConnolly and Hutz ABSTRACT: A roller track for guiding flexible strips through a change in spatial direction has a series of idler rollers perpendicularly connected to an elongated deformable guide member. The guide member has a continuous deformation which causes the rollers attached to it to assume a staggered position relative to each other. A low pressure is maintained by suction under the rollers to retain the strip in close contact with them throughout the spatial transition. An elongated spring provides an elastic type of elongated guide member.

PATENTEDSEPZBIBYI 3508 803 SHEET 1 [IF Q INVENTORU: PETER HERZHOFF, HANS GHEF, WOLFGANG SCHWEICHER, KARL VUUS.

PAIENTEU 8EP28 l97| SHEET 2 [IF A INVENTORS PETER HERZHOFF, HANS GREF, WOLFGANG SCHWEICI-IER, KARL VOSS.

PAIENTEUSEPZBIQTI $608,803

SHEET 3 BF 4 YNVENTORS PATENTEUSEPEBIBTI 3,608,803

sum u or 4 FIG. 9 K-L ll ii x INVENTORS PETER HERZHOFF, HANS GREY, WOLFGANG SCHWEICHER, KARL VOSS.

BY cw u w afi mi ROLLER TRACK FOR GUIDING STRIPS HAVING PARALLEL EDGES This invention relates to a roller track for guiding strips having parallel edges, more especially film strips, without distortion. The strips are drawn over the idling rollers of the track and a pressure difference is maintained between the spaces disposed above and below the strip by means of suction applied to the strip from below.

The invention has for its object to construct roller tracks of this type, which are known as concave suction untis, so that the strip to be conveyed is guided in space. Furthermore, by the construction of the roller track, control of the strip edges in a simple manner is possible.

This is achieved according to the invention by the axes of the rollers being staggered in relation to one another.

The arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the rollers are arranged perpendicularly on a leaf spring arranged longitudinally of the roller track by means of crossmembers carrying the roller bearings. The leaf spring is tightly clamped at one of its ends on the frame of the roller track, while it is fixed at the other end on a support which can be displaced in parallel relation and which is pivoted on the frame by means of a parallel linkage. By means of this spring support which is capable of parallel displacement, it becomes possible to alter the deformation of the spring and thus to adjust the staggering of the rollers. The axes of the first and last rollers are always parallel to one another, so that there is an additional control of the strip edges on the roller track.

FIG. I shows the principle of the track geometry on which the invention is based. The two juxtaposed rollers with their axes 1--ll and 2'--2 are inclined at the angle a relative to one another. A strip with the parallel edges and b is so disposed on the two rollers that the contact lines of the strip edges lie in planes perpendicular to the roller axes 1'l and 2'-2, respectively. With this condition which is necessary for the stationary conveying of the strip, the latter is deflected by the angle a on changing from one roller to the other. The side of the loop at the edges a and b is thus different, but in other respects is stationary for equal peripheral speed of the two rollers.

FIGS. 2-8 diagrammatically represent examples of uses of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows in perspective a turning of the strip from one plane into a second plane disposed perpendicularly.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a turning through 30 of the strip in one plane. FIG. 4 is a developed central section. The means for producing the pressure difference between the front and back of the strip are not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 show one constructional example of the control of a strip edge with adjustable staggering of the rollers.

The strip indicated at 1 (FIG. 9) is guided in the direction of the arrow, over the rollers 2, which are each connected through the bearings 3 (FIGS. 5, 6, 8) to a tubular support 4. The tubular support 4 rests so as to be capable of sliding by means of the sliding elements 5 on the frame 6. Clamped on the frame 6 by means of the bracket 7 is a leaf spring 8. The other end of the leaf spring 8 is tightly clamped on the end support 9, which is guided by the parallel linkage 10 mounted on the frame 6. By operation of a hydraulic drive means 11 pivotally arranged in the frame, the end support 9 can be displaced in parallel relation. Connected with this displacement is the S-shaped deformation of the leaf spring 8 which is shown in FIG. 8. The two end tangents of the bending line always remain parallel. Clamped on the leaf spring 8 are transverse arms 12, to the ends of which, in the same way as to the end supports 9, are fixed driver pins I3 for transmitting the spring movement to the tubular support 4 and the rollers 2. The results are that the axes of the rollers are always perpendicular to the bending line of the leaf spring 8 and more especially the axes of the first and last rollers remain parallel.

Arranged on the bottom 14 of the frame 6 is a suction pipe 7 and the upper edge of which extends up to the plane of the roller axes. The covering angle member 17 which is connected to the sliding elements 5 of the first (upper) roller and thus slides on the frame 6 covers the parallel linkage l0. Arranged on the opposite end of the frame 6 is a fixed covering angle member 18. If a fan (not shown) is connected to the suction pipe 15 and is set in operation, it is only possible for air to flow into the space beneath the rollers 2 tlhrough the cross sections defined by the strip 1, the rollers 2 and the plastics sealing elements 16. Because of the subatmosplheric pressure thus being adjusted beneath the strip II, the latter lies with the required corrugated fonn on the rollers 2.

In the event of the edge of the strip deviating from the normal position, the first (upper) roller is controlled to assume a corresponding parallel position by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 11. The strip is then returned again to its nominal position with its corrugated travel over the following rollers.

We claim:

1. A roller track having idling rollers for guiding strips having parallel edges, more especially film strips, without distortion in space, wherein the strips are pulled over the idling rollers having axes of rotation disposed perpendicular to the direction of travel of the strips, and a pressure difference between the spaces above and below the strip is maintained by the strip being drawn by suction from below, the axes of the rollers being staggered in relation to one another whereby they are inclined relative to each other but do not intersect in free space.

2. A roller track for guiding strips having parallel edges, more especially film strips, without distortion in space, wherein the strips are pulled over the idling rollers of the track, and a pressure difference between the spaces above and below the strip is maintained by the strip being drawn by suction from below, the axes of the rollers being staggered in relation to one another, the rollers are arranged perpendicularly on a leaf spring arranged longitudinally of the roller track by means of crossmembers supporting the roller bearings, and the leaf spring is fixedly clamped at one of its ends on the frame of the roller track, while it is fixed at the other end to a support which can be displaced in parallel relation and which is pivoted on the frame by means of a parallel linkage.

3. A roller track for guiding a flexible strip without distortion through a change in spatial orientation comprising an elongated deformable guide member extending throughout said change in spatial orientation, a series of idler rollers, support means connecting said idler rollers with their axes disposed substantially perpendicularly to said elongated deformable guide member, said elongated guide member having a substantially continuous deformation throughout said change in spatial orientation whereby said axes of said idler rollers are staggered relative to each other to smoothly carry said strips through said change in spatial orientation without distortion, and suction means is connected to the sides of said rollers opposite said flexible strip whereby said strip is maintained in close contact with said rollers throughout said changed in spatial orientation.

4. A roller track as set forth in claim 3 wherein said elongated guide member is elastic whereby its spatial position may be varied.

5. A roller track as set forth in claim 4 wherein said elastic elongated guide member comprises an elongated strip of spring material.

6. A roller track as set forth in claim 5 wherein said elongated strip of sing material has one of its ends secured to a frame, and a movable adjusting element secures the other end of said elongated strip and spring material to said frame whereby the position of said elongated strip and rollers attached thereto may be varied. 

1. A roller track having idling rollers for guiding strips having parallel edges, more especially film strips, without distortion in space, wherein the strips are pulled over the idling rollers having axes of rotation disposed perpendicular to the direction of travel of the strips, and a pressure difference between the spaces above and below the strip is maintained by the strip being drawn by suction from below, the axes of the rollers being staggered in relation to one another whereby they are inclined relative to each other but do not intersect in free space.
 2. A roller track for guiding strips having parallel edges, more especially film strips, without distortion in space, wherein the strips are pulled over the idling rollers of the track, and a pressure difference between the spaces above and below the strip is maintained by the strip being drawn by suction from below, the axes of the rollers being staggered in relation to one another, the rollers are arranged perpendicularly on a leaf spring arranged longitudinally of the roller track by means of crossmembers supporting the roller bearings, and the leaf spring is fixedly clamped at one of its ends on the frame of the roller track, while it is fixed at the other end to a support which can be displaced in parallel relation and which is pivoted on the frame by means of a parallel linkage.
 3. A roller track for guiding a flexible strip without distortion through a change in spatial orientation comprisiNg an elongated deformable guide member extending throughout said change in spatial orientation, a series of idler rollers, support means connecting said idler rollers with their axes disposed substantially perpendicularly to said elongated deformable guide member, said elongated guide member having a substantially continuous deformation throughout said change in spatial orientation whereby said axes of said idler rollers are staggered relative to each other to smoothly carry said strips through said change in spatial orientation without distortion, and suction means is connected to the sides of said rollers opposite said flexible strip whereby said strip is maintained in close contact with said rollers throughout said change in spatial orientation.
 4. A roller track as set forth in claim 3 wherein said elongated guide member is elastic whereby its spatial position may be varied.
 5. A roller track as set forth in claim 4 wherein said elastic elongated guide member comprises an elongated strip of spring material.
 6. A roller track as set forth in claim 5 wherein said elongated strip of spring material has one of its ends secured to a frame, and a movable adjusting element secures the other end of said elongated strip and spring material to said frame whereby the position of said elongated strip and rollers attached thereto may be varied. 